The resumé is an important document that details your background, qualifications, work experience, career achievements and interests. As the resumé is your initial contact with the potential employer, it is imperative that your resumé is well written, neat, easy to read and concise. When writing your resumé, keep in mind that layout is crucial, use the minimal amount of pages and ensure that information is well spaced for easy reading.

The following information is suggested for inclusion in your resumé:

• Name
• Address
• Contact Phone Numbers
• Date of Birth (optional)
• Transport
• Drivers Licence

Detail your educational qualifications, starting with the most recent. List all schools attended, qualifications attained, and the start and finish dates. This section should include all secondary school, university and TAFE qualifications, computer and personal development courses, in-house training, etc. You may also like to include results from subjects in which you fared particularly well.

Use this section to highlight any special awards, honours or recognition you have been given.

One of the most commonly asked questions in job interviews is "where do you see yourself in five years?" You can pre-empt this question by listing your future goals and ambitions. This section is optional.

List your employment history beginning with the most recent position held. Detail your employer's name, start and finish dates and position title. Then for each position held, list your responsibilities and duties, starting in each case with the most relevant or important responsibilities. Use bullet points as often as possible, as it makes for easier reading. Also, in some cases it may be beneficial to tailor your resumé to the particular position you are applying for.

Include any relevant hobbies and interests. This information will give the employer an insight into your personality type.

List references from former employers, business associates, schools or universities you have recently attended, etc.

You may also like to include a relevant, up-to-date photograph of yourself. If you decide to include a photograph, it should be shown on the front cover page.

It is important to present your resumé in a professional manner, such as in a file or folder. Arnos products can help put that extra pizzazz into the presentation of your resumé. The following presentation folders are perfect for this purpose. They are A4, with hardwearing covers, available in a range of colours to help your resumé stand out and are of the highest quality:

• Clear Book Presentation Folder
• Custom Viewfile Folder
• Office File Folder

For more information on these products, please visit the product section of this site under PPC Series Folders.